Library book selection and public comment poicies were clarified by school district officials as national debates came close to home on Wednesday, Aug. 23.
School Committee Chair Beth Stafford and Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak sought to “correct a couple of misunderstandings and miscommunications that have been going on” surrounding meeting protocol issues.
Aside from public comment guidelines, Stafford said the other miscommunication problem centers around the policy for selecting books used to augment instruction or to be included in the school libraries.
School book policies have been a hot-button topic nationwide.
Szymaniak addressed the policy on “groups that give us books.”
He said the words “books” and “donations” had been mentioned during a discussion of the crosswalk painting and library partnership Whitman PRIDE had appeared to ask be supported by the committee.
“I got some questions from some parents [and I’m] trying to respond to it,” he said. “We have a set guideline that we use, and not everybody in the world can just send their books here, although I will tell people in the public that we get donations of books from all over the country sometimes.”
WHRSD does have a policy – IJL – on library materials selection and adoption under which the School Committee endorses the School Library Bill of Rights as adopted by the American Library Association [See box].
Initial purchase suggestions for library materials may come from all personnel – teachers, coordinators and administrators. Students will also be encouraged to make selections. The librarian will make recommendations to be included in the school library, but final approval and authority for distribution of funds will rest with the building principal, subject to the approval of the superintendent.
Gifts of books will be accepted for the library in keeping with the policy guidelines and complaints will be handled in line with the committee policy on complaints and instructional materials.
“So, we do actually have a policy on how we accept books,” Szymaniak said. He noted the American Legion donates calendars to the district, which are vetted that, like all other donations, they are age-appropriate and user-friendly for school librarians based on DESE criteria and the professional judgments of the district’s teachers, administrators and professional staff.
“It’s not just anybody in the world can send us a book and put it in the libraries,” he said.
Stafford, who is a retired grade six social studies teacher, agreed that the policy prevents donations that are not reviewed.
“It is with Department of Elementary and Secondary Education guidelines, coupled with the research recommendations from the Educational and School Library organizations and the input from our professional staff, including the district librarian, curriculum coordinators and diretors, principals and my central office team that I rely on to make final decisions regarding textbooks and educational materials,” he said. “Suggestions or recommendations from any community member or organization about books or resources are simply that – recommendations.”
The School District goes by a formal review process based on the Massachusetts Students’ Rights Law, [MGL Ch. 76 Section 5] which states that all public-school systems, through their curricula, “encourage respect for the human and civil rights of all individuals, regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.”
School administrators and teachers will evaluate all students with a rubric and specify that the demographics include, but is not limited to those who identify as Black, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, indigenous and multi-racial students, those with disabilities, are English learners, are LGBTQ+, students experiencing homelessness and/or financial insecurity.
The law is intended to help schools implement state laws impacting LGBTQ+, + students – including the state’s anti-bullying law, gender identity law and student anti-discrimination law.
The law is a joint initiative between DESE and the Mass. Commission on LGBTQ+, + Youth.
The committee also voted to have the policy subcommittee review the public comment policy for meetings.
In 2020 the committee unanimously approved a policy permitting a 15-minute window at the beginning of meetings to give members of the public an opportunity to speak about any subject on or off the agenda an within the School Committee’s portfolio, without comment other than a “thank-you” from the committee. Individual speakers are limited to three minutes for their comments.
“There will be some exceptions like during budget times when we need to speak to union reps,” Stafford said. “I want you to understand that, if I call on somebody during a time such as with the union reps when we’re talking about employees, then I would be calling on them.”
Vice Chair Christopher Scriven said the issue of public comment had been brought to his attention by people outside of the committee. and he asked for it to be placed on the agenda because he felt it very worthy of discussion.
“I think a lot of us take very seriously the notion that we represent our constituents, and we should have their best interests in mind,” he said. “If they have something to come up and speak to, specifically, as part of a discussion, as important as some of the ones we’ve had recently, I think we should be open to that.”
Member Fred Small agreed.
Scriven said the committee should, at least, get input from the rest of the board to make decisions on some kind of consensus.
Stafford said she would like to put it to the policy subcommittee, since it is a policy already. Member Dawn Byers agreed and made the motion to send the matter to the policy subcommittee.
“Unfortunately, the last couple of years, the policy was not followed,” Stafford said.
Speaking as a private citizen, Select Board member Shawn Kain commented during the public comment period that the discussion of Pride crosswalks, a proposed partnership with the Whitman Library and an LGBTQ+ scholarship should have permitted citizen’s input, and asked that it be reconsidered.
“Unfortunately, before the vote, you refused to let the public comment on the issue,” he said, noting the room was filled with parents, therapists, former School Committee members and at least one student. “As an active citizen in our community, I believe this is a red flag.”
Kain had expressed that opinion in a letter to the editor published in the Express on July 27.
“When we refuse to allow public comment, we do not benefit from potentially vital information that we otherwise wouldn’t be aware of and we deprive ourselves of the diverse perspectives that are not always available on the board,” Kain said, noting it feels arrogant ant exclusive to him – the opposite of the inclusive project being discussed.
Dan McDonough of Carriage Road in Hanson also commented on partnership of Whitman PRIDE and the Committee, especially in connection with the school wellness program.
Noting the nationwide debate, he said the “issue of gender confusion is very deadly and divisive.
“My main concern as a father is how early these discussions are happening,” he said. “My only concern is the protection of elementary school and how early we’re talking about it, and parents should be included in that conversation when we are talking about it.”
Szymaniak said the wellness program comes directly from the Commonwealth and has no association with Whitman PRIDE at all. That new curriculum was open for public comment through Monday, Aug. 28.